(c)1979 COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
How did Cramer, Cramer, Meryl Streep, and Justin Henry create such a memorable performance in "Kramer, Kramer"?
2019.10.23
The most difficult thing is to face yourself head on.
When Dustin Hoffman was approached to star in this film, he thought, "No way!" Why would I have to rub salt into a deep emotional wound and make it even bigger?
When the director and producer approached him to negotiate, he was obviously skeptical, which was understandable, since at the time Hoffman himself was going through the same difficult divorce problems as the protagonist.
However, when the opportunity finally came for him to have a heart-to-heart talk about the project, one word ignited his acting spirit.
"Hey, isn't the hardest thing for an actor to do is face himself?"
“Kramer, Kramer” (c)1979 COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
To play this character, it is necessary to reveal Dustin's inner self. To dig deep into his heart, to find the cause of his suffering, to discover himself. Can I do that? Am I prepared for that as an actor?
Determined, he proposed to director Robert Benton that he thoroughly rewrite the script. He would participate in it, reveal his inner thoughts, and breathe real life into the lines on the desk. As a result, the script is filled with the raw pain and suffering that Hoffman experienced at the time, his daily realizations, and the feelings he had after overcoming them. This is why the film captures our hearts with its living presence.
Acting coaching that led a child actor with no acting experience to Oscar nomination